Seaside Aquarium, Seaside, Oregon

Seaside Aquarium was opened in 1937.  It is a very small aquarium.  You encounter harbor seals when you first walk through the door, and, for a $1 you can buy some fish to feed them.  If you do so, get ready for a show as the seals try to attract your attention by making sounds or hitting their flippers against the water or the wall; don’t get too close or you may get wet.  Touching pools are available for those who don’t mind touching sea plants or animals.  Enjoyed our short visit.

 

this harbor seal would slap the wall with his flipper in order to grab your attention

wolf eel

Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria, Oregon

Great museum.  We started our visit by watching a movie about how the pilots get on the bigger ships to pilot them down the river.  Have to say, would not want that job.  The Columbia River is really dangerous and many ships have been lost trying to make it up the river.  There are lots of models of many of the early ships that went up the river.  Well worth the time.

Imagine going fishing on the ocean or river on this boat.

The pilots have to climb this rope ladder to get on the large vessels.  Imagine trying to do this with waves about 10’ or higher.

Model of one of the many steamboats that took people up the Columbia.  It was faster than traveling overland.

Engraved ostrich egg.